The Final Decision
by Moliz
Summary: Oneshot. Two years. Two years of collecting shards, battling demons and fighting Naraku. The neverending cycle of achieving the unattainable. Suddenly, it was time. Time to make the decision of dying for Kikyo or living for Kagome.


A/N: Something I wrote quite a while ago, but was too lazy to update. I think I had an urge to write this when Inuyasha was too wussy to make a decision betweenKagome and Kikyo. And me, being the Kikyo hater I am, felt like I need to do something. Thus, this short story was born. Maybe I'll add more to it in the later months. But, currently it's a one shot and most likely staying a oneshot, since there'sno plot or anything.

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The Final Choice

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"Why did you betray me? Don't you love me anymore Inuyasha? Our love was supposed to be forever. How can you let Naraku get away with doing this to us? Don't you care!" Kikyo looked at him with fierce determination, maimed with sadness and remorse.

I couldn't handle it. It was too much. The way she looked at me, as if I was crushing her heart bit by bit. In a way, I was. And I hated myself for it.

"You _promised_ me Inuyasha! You promised that you'll protect me forever!"

_Yes, but I also promised to protect Kagome._ It shocked me to see Kikyo show her inner emotions. I usually never get to see her this way, she was always composed and stoic, never letting her feelings get in the way of anything.

Every bit of me was fighting the urge to just say yes. My mind was screaming at me to open my mouth and say that one syllable. To submit to the tainted love I felt for her…yet, my heart wanted to stay behind. To stay behind and protect someone else, another girl that has shown me how to live once again. In the end, my heart won, I made my decision.

"Kikyo, I'm sorry. I can't go with you to hell. I have to remain here, to fight Naraku and gather all the shards of the Shikon Jewel. It is my duty."

"No!" I could see tears now, tears that glinted in the bright light of the roaring fire around us. "No, it can't be! It's because of Kagome Higurashi right? Do you love her more than you love me?"

As I watched her and felt my own heart crack into pieces, I could already feel her pulling away. She was fading even though I could see her strain to stay here, in this world. The fire was gone now and every gust of wind seemed to push her beyond the living border. I had the biggest urge to reach out and pull her back, but I knew I couldn't. Not unless I wanted to go to hell.

"You choose Kagome over me? You're a coward Inuyasha! You would rather have a fragment of what I once was rather than what I am now! You know we were meant to be!" The tears seemed to soak through her skin and now all the sadness was gone. Instead, it was just a certain blankness that reminded me of the colour grey. "You promised me, Inuyasha." Her voice was just a whisper now. I could no longer see the outline of her skin, only the sense that she was there, is there, and will forever be there. "You promised to protect me… Inuyasha"

She was gone.

I sank to my knees, holding in the urge to slash my claws through something, anything! I felt a part of me go away, but at the same time, a large weight was lifted from my shoulders. I stood up, bowed to the tree and walked away from the spot where Kikyo pierced me with an arrow 52 years ago.

"Where were you Inuyasha?" Kagome pestered me one more time.

"None of your business, and why the hell do you care?" I responded carelessly, making sure to hide my worry and hurt deep inside me, away from the bickering of the others.

I expected her to come back with a witty response like she usually does, but when I didn't hear a peep out of her; I looked over towards the girl. She was glum and sad, obviously hurt.

"Alright, alright, I went fishing. Are you happy now?" It irritated me to have to give in to her every time she had her 'I'm sad because you wouldn't tell me stuff' face on. Even though she always called me a jerk, I'm sure she's the one that deserves the title.

"Fishing? I didn't know dogs could fish!"

I glared at her.

She looked apologetic and asked "What did you catch?" in an 'I know you're lying but I'll play along voice'. She had a knack for knowing exactly when I told a lie. Damn my ears for always betraying me!

"Water's good for fishing. And as for the fish, I forgot them at the bank. I'll go get them now."

Before she could say another word, I was out of there. I couldn't stand lying to her and her love for asking annoying questions.

I quickly ran to the stream, jumped in, looked around and grabbed a couple of fish. Then, in a moment's breath, ran back to the camp.

"Hey look!" Shippo yelled when he saw me "Inuyasha's got fish with him!" Kagome ran over to me, smiled at me (she obviously believed my little excuse), took the fish and went to find Sango to have their little girly moment while cooking.

I knew there was something wrong when he returned back to camp. I just knew it. Even though he made up some lie about going fishing, I had a feeling he was at the tree. His second biggest clue was the fact that he'd be all stubborn and silly like he usually is when he was the centre of our attention, but when we went about our own business, he had a far away look in his eyes.

His biggest clue however, was the fact he's standing directly over me, staring holes through the back of my head while I pretend to be asleep. Inuyasha is really starting to creep me out. Earlier, when I had just lain down in my sleeping bag, he sat high up in his tree, probably thinking about stuff in his own little world. Then, after a while, he jumped down, came over by me and have been standing over me ever since.

The problem is I know he knows I'm awake but he's just not saying anything. What's wrong with him?

"Have a good night, Kagome." Inuyasha whispered into the night air before returning back to his own tree.

I was stunned. _What?_ What did Inuyasha just say? Did he just wish me a good night? Buts he's never this nice! I wanted to find out what was up with him.

I slipped out of my sleeping bag, pulled on a coat and then trudged to his tree where he was supposed to be guarding us for the night.

"Inuyasha?" I called out to the leaves rustling in the summer breeze. No answer. Just as I was about to call once more, Inuyasha jumped down swiftly, picked me up around the waist and jumped up to his preferred branch again.

"What?" He looked and sounded annoyed. "You know, some people are trying to sleep."

"Why did you come and say good night to me?"

"What's wrong with that? So now people can't even say good night to each other anymore?"

"No, yes…I don't know! You've been behaving really weird today."

Inuyasha slanted his eyes "In what way?"

"Never mind I came to talk to you. Can you please take me down now?" No point talking to him now since he's back to his old self.

"No, you came up here, you stay up here."

"But I never wanted to come up, you brought me up!"

"So?" Inuyasha looked as if he had just made the best come back ever.

"Erh! What's your problem? Take me down!"

"Don't order me around! It's your fault you're up here."

I was really annoyed. On the other hand, Inuyasha seemed ready to enjoy himself.

"You know what? Fine!" I stated before swinging my legs up onto the branch, crawling towards the main trunk of the massive tree and settling myself right into the crook where the branch met the trunk. I pretended to go to sleep.

"Hey! You took my spot!" Inuyasha complained. I opened one lazy eye and smirked at him.

"Two can play at this game!" Inuyasha huffed before walking daintily towards me, picking me up by the arm, switching our positions by rotating his feet and settled himself at the favoured spot. Not even considering my lack of the ability to stand and walk perfectly on branches of trees, he let go of my arm. In the fraction of a second, I teetered, tottered and fell into him just as he was getting up to help me.

He somehow stabled us both but by now we were sitting on the branch, with me in his lap. I knew my face was flaming red. It was so embarrassing! I was sitting in his lap while the rest of me was pressed up against his chest. The most horrific (or greatest) part was that his arms were around me, and they weren't moving away.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha murmured.

I looked at his face. His eyes were closed and his arms were still encircled around me.

"Yea?" I whispered back.

"You smell nice."

That comment made my face turn a darker shade of red. I pulled away. At the same time, he realized what he was doing and saying and straightened up instantly, which included knocking me off his lap.

"You know, this is way past your bed time. We have a long day to go tomorrow and you're wasting precious sleeping time. Come on, I'll take you back."

Inuyasha seemed to be back to his usual self.

I couldn't move the moment she fell on my lap. I was as if every part of me stopped moving and only concentrated on her. On all the little movements she made, shifting her legs a bit, nudging up against me, pressed up against my chest. My arms were around her. She was so soft, so gentle. Most of all, I was entranced by her smell. The washing liquid that she called shampoo and her own sweet scent made me lose all thoughts. Before long, I was telling her how nice she smelled and practically stuffing my face into her hair. I stopped myself before I did anything too embarrassing and took her back to her sleeping bag.

I'm sitting here in my tree now, wondering and thinking about this girl I have to protect. Sometimes I'm afraid. I'm scared I'll somehow hurt her with the things I do and the things I get her involved in. She's too innocent and pure, too good for me.

I don't know the exact reason I chose to stay and not go to hell with Kikyo. Yes, Naraku and the Shikon Jewel had something to do with it, but I know that's not all. Kikyo's right, it had to do with Kagome. I guess I didn't leave because Kagome made the sun shine once more, she made the wind blow, and she made the world seem a shade brighter. I know that if I did leave, she would be hurt, and I can never bring myself to hurt such an innocent spirit.

Sometimes I wonder if that was the real reason at all… If it had something to do with love…

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